caulfield12

Avi, be ready for the heat and adjust for the offspeed...he's going to be high and hard.

QUOTE (flavum @ May 5, 2016 -> 08:07 PM) Half way home at about 1:55 If Mark Buehrle were starting, the last call for AL-KEE-HOWL would have been 20-25 minutes ago.

QUOTE (pettie4sox @ May 5, 2016 -> 08:06 PM) Johnson battled back. Sounds like for him it's just mental. The weird part is he's a pretty huge guy and has shown flashes of 93-94 MPH stuff in the past, even touching 95. Then he goes through these stretches in the majors and minors where he's at 88-91, topping out at 92. Hard to say how much of it's mechanical and how much psychological and how the two are interrelated.

QUOTE (SoCalSox @ May 5, 2016 -> 08:03 PM) Abreu has really hurt them tonight. Two huge spots & nothing to show for it. Have to think the chances keep coming but will they capitalize enough to keep themselves in it? Cabrera's wasted opportunity hurt as well... You can't expect success every game from Jose, he's had a great run this last week and other hitters up and down the order need to come through in clutch situations, it's not just on him. Still lots of game left, pretty likely the bullpens will still decide the outcome. And these struggles with RISP haven't been so pronounced in the last couple of weeks. Worst-case scenario is we have a 3 1/2 game lead over the Royals heading into an attractive series against MN with our best pitchers slated to go.

Also pretty impressive to give up 11 baserunners in 4 innings and STILL be in the game for Johnson...3 WHIPS are not easy to come by! Also not too many games where you see a starter make it through the 5th with 105ish-100 pitches...if he survives this inning, he just might get another start.

If not mentioned elsewhere, the first time four first place teams are playing in the same city on the same day (and the same exact time, for that matter)...

QUOTE (KyYlE23 @ May 5, 2016 -> 07:39 PM) The revisionism is the assumption that the Sox could simply grab Fowler like that Upton...no interest Cespedes...too expensive for one year, wanted to go back to NY Gordon...wanted to go back to KC, no interest in a deal over 3 years Fowler...wanted to come back to Chicago, Cubs didn't want Heyward in CF Span...that one's a bit of a mystery, but coming off an injury-plagued year Rasmus...not sure if we even had time to express an interest However, there were a number of guys like Dickerson that were on the trade market. 75 MPH change-up....speed up Avisail's bat, the ONE thing you don't want to do. Needed that timely hit LAST inning, but a least we're sort of back in it again.

Only 90+ pitches to get 10 outs. That's pretty amazing...not sure if it's from a negative or positive standpoint, though.

What happened to the "new and improved" positive thread mandate? You would think we were trailing the rest of the division by 3 1/2 games already. Is it realistic to EXPECT to win a game Erik Johnson starts against the Red Sox offense? We're getting outhit 8-1 and still only down by 3. And at least our offense is showing encouraging progress in the OBP/walk category compared to the past three seasons.

At least the vendors should be happy with longer game times by 30-45 minutes against BOS. Or unhappy because they want to go home at a reasonable hour. How many starts does Johnson get before they pull the plug? 3? That's about what Daniel Hudson got. Guess Turner will be next, they're not going to pick Carroll over him. Guess it depends on if Gonzalez has been particularly good against a string of future opponents. Just a slightly frustrating inning there offensively. Get 'em next time. That inside strike to Abreu really hurt, and then Melky never seems to hit very well as a RHB, at least not early last year.

At least the vendors should be happy with longer game times by 30-45 minutes against BOS. Or unhappy because they want to go home at a reasonable hour. How many starts does Johnson get before they pull the plug? 3? That's about what Daniel Hudson got. Guess Turner will be next, they're not going to pick Carroll over him. Guess it depends on if Gonzalez has been particularly good against a string of future opponents.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 5, 2016 -> 01:51 PM) Other than your posts, do you have any links as to where this is becoming a huge topic? People have been fully aware for years the Cubs outdraw the White Sox even on their worst days vs. the White Sox best. Lol. Follow the social media feature during an ESPN.com gamecast. Mentioned by both Chicago and Boston writers/reporters numerous times. However, there's pretty much zero incentive to "prove" anything since the game threads are now supposed to filled with positivity according to what Rabbit wrote last night. I know you saw that. And, if I proved it, you would just turn around and use it as justification to complain more about my posting it. Or you would argue that nothing constitutes proof, everything is subjective or based in our perceptions of glass half filled or half emptyness. So what's the point???

I'm also not sure if I was a Pirates' fan that I would be too excited by the time the final game in the series (during the day, no less) rolled around to watch my favorite team get rolled over yet again. It's got to be terribly frustrating to achieve that level of success and yet be completely overshadowed by the Cardinals and now the Cubs...and then be mostly limited to wild card game appearances (along with feeling "when will it be our turn"?). It's a little bit reminiscent of the early 90's teams with Bonds and Bonilla and Drabek that were so good but just couldn't manage to put it all together in the postseason. Yes, more excuses. Like Braves' fans for most of the second half of their playoff run of 14 consecutive years or whatever that incredible streak was...

QUOTE (shakes @ May 5, 2016 -> 10:16 AM) ?????? You know every team has national games, right? You know these games were scheduled well in advance? I know you know this stuff, so this is one of the strangest arguments I've seen. And why would fans attending the game care what network the game is on? I think the above argument just proves the attendance debate is officially exhausted, because this has just jumped from silly to nonsensical. The Pirates had 18,000 at their game against the Cubs on Monday, and I assure you there wasn't nearly that many in the park. A divisional rival with a traveling fanbase, and a team who is consistently making the playoffs. Maybe, you can find a message board and go make fun of their fans. I didn't realize making this thread constituted making fun of the fans...is that what it really is? There's also a difference for Pirates' fans because they know they have two better opportunities to see the Cubs later in the season since they are divisional rivals. At any rate, the Orioles' attendance is also way down and they actually spent quite a bit of money in the offseason, have been to the playoffs much more recently, and got off to a similar start record-wiseto the White Sox. Like it or not, with the media focusing so much on the Cubs and their revenue machine now, it's going to be even more of a topic of comparison because it's the one profound and obvious difference between the two organizations at the current time...and a hot topic on social media as well and presumably sports talk radio in Chicago.

QUOTE (bmags @ May 5, 2016 -> 08:08 AM) I feel like almost all of the AL will be "in it". If the Astros are just eating it this year, Rasmus would be a nice player to look at. For pitching, going to be tough. Most likely need to look at NL crap teams. Not to mention the fact that the Phillies have mostly young, high impact starters who they're going to be unwilling to trade in Nola, Velasquez, Eickhoff, etc.

QUOTE (Dick Allen @ May 5, 2016 -> 08:05 AM) The great thing about the Sox need for a hitter is it could be someone who plays any position since the opening is at DH. Depending on who is acquired, you can do a rotation of sorts giving guys a break. It's a heck of a lot better position to be in than having to find a specific position. And they don't need an ace or a #2 or a #3 pitcher. So if their internals don't pan out, there should be some guys to choose from at the deadline for a reasonable price. As long as no one major doesn't get hurt, they are in really good shape to add to the team without sacrificing their top prospects. Double negative. But they're limited seemingly in Hahn leaning in the direction of a left-handed bat, and even more specifically if he's looking for power moreso than OBP. For this to be a playoff team, Rodon's going to have to step it up because Latos is due for a regression...or the offense needs one more impact hitter to put it over the top.

Betances or Miller would be sweet, although probably costing an arm and a leg. Betances is seemingly one of their untouchables...although Gardner, Beltran and A-Rod could all potentially find new homes. Maybe Teixeira, depending on how much money they're willing to send along with him. Giles with the Astros would be someone Don Cooper should be monitoring to see if there's a quick mechanical fix or "tell." "Superpen" here we come.

There should be a run on "over" bets how many times per day you will attempt to play board policeman and "complain about complaining, which still amounts to a complaint in another form." Current LV line, 3.42 "unique confrontations" per day. 2.29 posts from antiquity dragged back up for some purpose or another.

And, with the current trend the White Sox are on....you'd think they are more likely to revert to the old KW way of thinking...that money needs to be spent NOW to address needs at the major league level rather than spending millions on lottery tickets that have about a 1/50 or 2 in 75 chance of returning you a future superstar.

Wow...I padded my post count accidentally because the VPN/proxy here in CHINA. Start an investigation!!! Communist conspiracy!!! Have all my extra posts deleted so I don't get credited with two extra/accidental posts!!!

Ummm...let's just say that if you're playing well enough that ESPN or FOX or whoever makes you the national game of the week, you're doing something well. Team doing well, good buzz...positive vibes, more people want to go out and attend the game, at least that's how it works in most sports. The point is that it used to be a "cool" thing or an honor to be selected to be on ESPN, that meant your team was playing great and worthy of fans' attention...not just locally/regionally, but nationally. Team shaming? What the heck are you talking about? Because I don't think Rick Hahn walks on water and can raise Jon Snow from the dead? One thing's for sure. Dick Allen will keep fighting the "good fight" to complain about complaining. Really, you should get yourself a job with Donald Trump's campaign, where everyone would be buying what you were selling. Last time I checked, the White Sox were 1-1 the last couple of nights. I guess the sky is falling because I posted in a game thread...OMG!

In all honesty, they don't have much to trade for a bat either...unless they're willing to trade one of the top 3. It means we're going to be more in 2012 mode of finding the right veteran where we're assuming financial obligations without parting with so much talent. There's just no way we could afford to wipe out our entire farm system for Gray. Luckily, there's still a lot more potentially available bats on the market...with supply exceeding current demand, that should work in Hahn's favor if he makes a move in June or early July instead of waiting. Of course, that also means paying out more money by a factor of 1/5th or 1/6th contractually.

Now I'm not quite sure if that's "fan shaming" or "fan embarrassing" and what's the positive and encouraging way in the minds of Ewokpelts, etc., to elicit a DIFFERENT reaction from the fan base.

No. He's just a counterpoint to the "everything is sunshine, unicorns and pots of gold at the end of the rainbow" perspective. Somewhere in the middle lies the truth. Because of financial limitations on payroll, we can't sign very many heroes. Luckily for the Sox, the majority of those hero contracts are bad ones for the clubs to engage in, so it actually works to the advantage of the organization, except perhaps in terms of the perception of the team by fans when none of the big names sign with us. That causes Sox fans to be a bit skeptical about how long or how well this streak of great play will continue...(see 2012.) If that great play had a foundation of Jordan Zimmerman, Jason Heyward or Miguel Cabrera instead of Brett Lawrie, Austin Jackson and Mat Latos, then it would presumably be easier for fans to embrace whole-heartedly because of the prevailing perception once again that stars or heroes get you to the postseason and win games there (see Yoenis Cespedes). And then every time the Sox trade for these so-called heroes (long list of trades and signings), most of them have gone against us since that 2007/08 class of Danks/Ramirez/Quentin/Floyd.

QUOTE (greg775 @ May 5, 2016 -> 02:08 AM) Excellent post again as u are on a roll, except I take great exception to the Cueto comment. He had several ace like starts during the regular season last year, too, mostly all home games though. I don't think anybody will "fear" KC this year unless Hosmer just goes nuts this summer, which he could. Cueto's numbers for KC last year look quite similar to John Danks for the White Sox. 20 more hits than innings pitched (anything more than 1 HIT/IP is pretty lousy for an "ace" in that pitching friendly environment)...a pedestrian, Mark Buehrle-esque strikeout percentage of 6.19/9 IP, 4.76 ERA and 1.45 WHIP and a negligible WAR of +0.2 for 13 total starts when Adam Eaton's already at 2+ WAR for not even 1/5th of the season. One complete game...barely averaging 6 1/3 IP per start as well (granted, the Royals had the pen to get 8 outs per game quite easily). Six quality starts out of 13 and one close to it (5 IP/1 ER).